Two Decades of Growth
The Episcopal Church of South Sudan’s Education and Training Department marked its twentieth anniversary in Juba, drawing clergy, officials, development partners and students to celebrate two decades of schools, health posts and community projects that survived war, economic shocks and displacement.
Inclusive Education Milestones
Managing Director Dr Lubari Stephen Elioba recalled a one-table office in 2005 that has expanded into 200 primary schools teaching nearly 69,000 learners, including 25 specialised centres where more than 5,000 children with disabilities study alongside peers through community-based rehabilitation.
Strategic Investments for Self-Reliance
Archbishop Justin Badi Arama told the gathering the Church is boosting income through a new Business Center and Guest House while planning a provincial health facility to coordinate thirteen clinics, aiming for programs that can “stand on their own” within the next two decades.
Partners Amplify Impact
Development partner Gerrit de Vries commended ECSS for focusing on the most vulnerable, noting the Building Inclusive Networks program links ten organisations in providing education, health and livelihoods even in areas still coping with insecurity.
Government Endorsement
John Sebit Andrea Lado from the Ministry of General Education hailed the Church’s teacher-training support and continuous professional development scheme, calling the faith-state partnership essential “for generations to come” and pledging to align national policy with ECSS inclusion goals.
Looking Ahead
A closing dance by schoolchildren underlined hopes for a future where every South Sudanese child, regardless of background or ability, can learn and thrive—a vision organisers say demands enduring collaboration, steady investment and the resilience that defined the first twenty years.